1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved wheelchair seat back, and to a kit for replacing an existing seat back with the improved seat back.
The seat back ordinarily supplied with a wheelchair is a flexible panel of upholstered vinyl or the like, stretched between the two back posts. For many users of wheelchairs, this is either uncomfortable or unacceptable from a support viewpoint, necessitating that the seat back be replaced by a more comfortable and/or more rigid structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, various replacement seat backs have been used to provide such improved comfort or support, most being structures which are simply positioned loosely against the existing seat back. Such an approach may be adequate in some cases, but suffers from several drawbacks. One such drawback is that if the structure has any significant thickness to it, the effective length of the wheelchair seat is shortened considerably, causing obvious problems.
In attempting to deal with this situation, it has been recognized in the past that the existing seat back could be removed and replaced by a more rigid structure. For example, brackets of various types have been used to attach rigid structures between the back posts, the brackets typically attaching the sides of the structure to the back posts.
However, there remains a need for a replacement seat back which offers improved comfort and/or support, which can readily have its design adapted to different wheelchair sizes, and which can be adjusted or repositioned from time to time as may be desired.